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  #1  
Old 04-18-2016, 7:01 PM
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Default Another Single Shot 80% Pistol Build

Hey everyone, I've had all the parts for an 80% AR build for some time, but I was waiting on getting my workshop setup. I've now got a good vice and am ready to start drilling and routing.

I've got everything ready for the upper but would appreciate feedback on the best method to restrict my California-compliant gun to a single shot. No gas block? Sled in the maxwell? Both? Something else?

As for the lower, I've got a beautiful raw 80% 7075 from Tactical Machining. Any advice on drilling/router work (besides "go slow")?

I'll plan on updating this thread as my build progresses but if anybody has any ideas or best practices I'm all ears.

Also looking for ideas on anodizing vs Cerakote etc.

Thanks and stay tuned!
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Old 04-18-2016, 7:08 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scbauer View Post
I've got everything ready for the upper but would appreciate feedback on the best method to restrict my California-compliant gun to a single shot. No gas block? Sled in the maxwell? Both? Something else?
"Let's just say we did, and don't".

Yeah. Don't but the gas block on for like 5 seconds...then continue to build as normal. Viola
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Old 04-19-2016, 8:40 AM
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"Let's just say we did, and don't".

Yeah. Don't but the gas block on for like 5 seconds...then continue to build as normal. Viola
Or let's do, then show that we did.

I'm actually curious to see how it shoots as a single-shot without the gas block installed.

Besides keeping hands away from the gas port in the barrel, any other things to be concerned about when shooting with the gas block removed?
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Old 04-19-2016, 9:53 AM
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the flame that will exit thru the gas port will cut a pretty good gouge in your handguard, so there's that.
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Old 04-20-2016, 8:33 AM
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the flame that will exit thru the gas port will cut a pretty good gouge in your handguard, so there's that.
Besides possibly hurting the handguard, are there any dangers of doing this?
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Old 04-20-2016, 8:38 AM
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Can you not take a solid block (think 80% gas block) and toss it on the cover the port? You literally only have to have it single shot for a brief period of time.

I have never had an issue shooting it single shot to test and feel the muzzle brake etc. I call them mini drago's for the first day lol

Or if you use a standard block and just install it offset or upside down, without a tube, would this still be considered single shot?
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Old 04-20-2016, 9:02 AM
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I put a JP adjustable gas block on my 7.5" AR pistol. It was shut off during building/test firing. Then I opened it up.
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Old 04-20-2016, 10:32 AM
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You can try mis-aligning the block forward, or turn it around. As long as the hole is covered, you should be GTG.


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Old 04-20-2016, 1:30 PM
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so we are talking about building an AR pistol to comply withthe bolt action BS in the SSE exemption.

Ok build weapon as normal do not install gas tube. make weapon fully functional. then install gas tube.

No where in the law does it say that the weapon meet any number of shots fired to be considered a bolt action.

Fact is it's still a bolt action even with the gas tube installed. You just can't have a mag that holds any rounds.

So you drop a round in, hit the bolt release, fire the weapon bolt locks back, do it again. bolt action, a self closing bolt action but still a bolt action.
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Old 04-20-2016, 1:39 PM
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Get a 1 shot sled - buy or 3d print cheap - and just video that you made it a SS first before converting. Done. Easy.

I made my own sled out of an old pmag cut down w/ no spring & follower epoxied in place.
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Old 04-20-2016, 10:02 PM
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so, I actually bought the single shot sled. And, at the end of the day, I like it. don't get me wrong, I like that I can disassemble and put my 10 rnd mags in, but I like shooting it single shot better. So, keep that in mind. Something is nice about drop rnd in, hit bolt close, fire, and bolt opens and locks back, ready for me to drop another round in. for RANGE FUN, with a pistol, this is actually kinda nice.

So, consider buying the sled for conversions. you might find you like it for general purpose. your home based single shot conversion is not likely to function and lock the bolt back on firing.
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Old 04-21-2016, 9:53 PM
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Next question... For everyone who had built an AR pistol from an 80% lower, what is the one thing you would have done different?
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Old 04-21-2016, 10:06 PM
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not a single thing. Not caring too much about the process let me sit on it for months. Which meant when that steal of a deal part floated by, I took it. Passed on anything inflated in price.
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Old 04-21-2016, 10:11 PM
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I did "break top" with a solid thick wooden dowel preventing the bolt from moving rearward at all and a zero shot magazine. Single shot break top.
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Old 04-22-2016, 9:39 AM
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Quote:
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Next question... For everyone who had built an AR pistol from an 80% lower, what is the one thing you would have done different?
I would have built two instead of one.
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Old 04-22-2016, 3:15 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scbauer View Post
Next question... For everyone who had built an AR pistol from an 80% lower, what is the one thing you would have done different?
I think its really cool until I take it out shooting. Then I ask myself why I built it. Oh yeah, in spite of CA politicians.
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Old 04-22-2016, 3:39 PM
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I think its really cool until I take it out shooting. Then I ask myself why I built it. Oh yeah, in spite of CA politicians.
Sounds about right.
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Old 04-22-2016, 3:41 PM
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I would have built two instead of one.
This is the first one, but I have more than one 80% lower so the fun can continue.
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Old 04-22-2016, 3:42 PM
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Next question... Alumahyde II or Cerakote?
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Old 04-22-2016, 3:51 PM
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Next question... Alumahyde II or Cerakote?
Depends on how much you have tool wise, spray gear and an oven,

I love Cerakote
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Old 04-22-2016, 4:34 PM
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Depends on how much you have tool wise, spray gear and an oven,

I love Cerakote
I've got a Wagner PowerSpray that's about 5 years old but not sure if that will work well enough. I also only have an oven in my kitchen.

I'm thinking Alumahyde this time. The point of this build was to be cheap, to see if I enjoy shooting an AR pistol, and I just looked at the price of Cerakote and think I'll save that for round 2.
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Old 04-22-2016, 6:19 PM
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yep a Wagner ain't going to do it and the oven in the house... well you know...

Yeah alumahyde would be a better option for you.

But a $40 HF touch up gun and a card board box and $15 hotplate from walmart would work as well. Just depends on what you want to do.

If you were closer I'd offer a lesson in Cerakote. I've done that in the past.
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Old 04-22-2016, 10:51 PM
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Quote:
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If you were closer I'd offer a lesson in Cerakote. I've done that in the past.
Thanks for the offer. Next time I'm down south I may take you up on the lesson, or I might try to find a similar offer up here in NorCal. Actually, I found a guy here on CalGuns who lives about 5 minutes from my parents house, so with AR pistol #2 I'll probably have him do an awesome Cerakote job.
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Old 04-23-2016, 12:45 AM
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Okay, picture time.

I got started slow. My lower is a TM 7075, so slow was what I heard worked best.


The aluminum chips accumulate fast!


You can see my setup wasn't ideal. I was sitting on the garage floor (good thing I had my Bob Allen Tactical Shooting Mat handy) with my new vise simply sitting on the floor. It weighs 50 lbs so it didn't really move, but it would have been nice to not have to be sitting on the floor while doing this. I had to lay back and stretch my back every 15 minutes.


Here's the final lower, pre-assembly. You can see a few machine marks in the bottom, but they look worse than they are. I couldn't even feel those when I ran my finger and fingernail over the top. Oh, and nobody is going to see inside the trigger pocket anyways.


Another view.


Then I decided I would see how easy it was to install the guts. Thanks to YouTube, it took me about 30 minutes (I've played around with my AR before but never built the lower from scratch, so this was my first time).


Here you can see that the gas block is not properly installed. This is intentional. You can see the gas exit port is not covered by the gas block, which ensures that this firearm can only fire one shot at a time, at which point I have to manually cycle the action. For good measure, I also have a mag well block that is only removable with a tool, and it doesn't allow even a single round to be loaded into the chamber. Each round must be loaded by hand into the open/empty chamber.


Here you can see the bottom side of the gas block, all tight and locked on. If you look close, a little to the right of the gas block, you can see where the screws would grip on the barrel if the gas block was installed properly.


One last look with the hand guard installed.


...
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Old 04-23-2016, 12:45 AM
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As you can see, not only is the gas block not going to get the gas from the exit port, but even if it did, the gas tube is now about an inch too short and does not make contact with the bolt carrier group, so this thing will definitely not cycle.


Finally, you can see the end result. I am not a big fan of the hand guard that came with the upper, but again, this is my first (cheap) build. I put a Phase 5 buffer tube on it, but that's only because someone was selling it cheap in the marketplace. It will likely go onto my next build and this firearm will get the cheap buffer tube installed.


Only 2 things left to do... paint it and shoot it!

-Scott
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Old 04-23-2016, 8:10 AM
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Oh, and for anyone interested (because I was curious before starting), the Rigid trim router worked great. I used the speed setting somewhere between 3 and 5. I tried a few settings (3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, etc.) but most of the milling was,done at 3.5.
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